Coalescence

Chapter 7: The Archaic Estate

 Malcolm made his way out of town soon after, walking back to Jamesons estate to inform him of the invitation. He walked in the door and felt pressure slam it shut. He explored the small building and found Jameson in his office, his eyes scanning a book with a pinpoint focus. Malcolm gave a lighthearted knock on the doorframe, snapping him out of his trance and making him slam the book shut.

"Ah, yes, what is it? Sorry, I was doing some research in some history books." Jameson laughed as the pressure in the room decreased. Malcolm smiled and took a seat in his office, fishing the small paper invitation out of his pocket. Jameson took it and scanned it over, his eyes growing wider as he continued.

"I ran into him at the market today, couldn't tell who he was before he handed me the invitation." Jameson slowly looked up from the small parchment, staring Malcolm dead in his eyes.

"You might be the smartest idiot I've ever laid my eyes on." He quickly folded up the invitation and handed it back to Malcolm, sitting with his head in his hands and groaning. "How did you manage to piss off the captain of the Yellow Corps walking through the market?"

"I bumped into him and he was rude about it, so I talked back to him." Malcolm said, leaning back in his chair like it was no big deal. Jameson groaned louder and rubbed his eyes.

"I hope you realize what you have in your pocket there. That's an invitation to visit a captain's estate whenever you see fit, and with his signature that means it's unlimited." He picked his head up and shook it in disapproval at Malcolm. "Weathersridge is a formidable captain, being inaugurated to the Yellow Corps at sixteen and being promoted to captain at seventeen. Now he's been the head captain for a year and has even gained respect from his commander for his prosperity in battle."

"He seems pretty normal to me, his sword and shield weren't to be joked about though." Malcolm stood up and leaned against the doorway. "When should I visit him?" Jameson looked up in a proud breed of disgust, putting his head back down on his desk before responding.

"Tomorrow, go tomorrow morning. You'll be training for the rest of the day. We'll put that new armor of yours to the test." Jameson quickly got up from his desk and walked outside, waving Malcolm out the door behind him. The pressure in the building immediately dropped and Malcolm felt a refreshing weight off his shoulders.

He walked outside to meet Jameson in the arena, seeing him complete in his Silver armor. A knight's armor was only ever brought out in times of war or in times of reckoning, but Jameson donned his for a special training session.

"What's with the formality, isn't this just a normal training session?" Jameson turned towards him with a grim stare.

"I learned from my historical readings that there's no official record of your Sunlight Art throughout history. There is, however, a legend that revolves around the War of the Deep Forest tells of an angelic warrior who used the power of the sun to smite the Fey." He slowly drew his sword, and as it left its sheath it became coated in icy crystals. Air pockets formed beneath the ice that were swirling with wind and energy. "I simply seek to awaken that warrior within you. Heavy Art, Valkyria!" He unsheathed the sword and energy reverberated throughout the arena, waves of air shook Malcolm to his core. A barrier of energy closed around the arena, sending the condensed and chilled air spiraling around them.

"Isn't this a bit out of hand for an experiment?" Malcolm braced his body against the winds as he attempted to draw a sword. Malcolm tried to press back against the winds with his own Heavy Art, but he paled in comparison to Jamesons power. "I can't say this is safe."

"It was never meant to be." Jameson began walking towards him, air moving and thundering with each step. "None of us got where we are now without struggle, without death happening all around us." He swung his blade down and a cascade of pressure moved forward. Malcolm tried to pressurize against it but his barrier was whipped through easily. "We can't afford to be weak, we need to have hearts and spirits of steel."